Stephen Shaler

Stephen Shaler is a Professor of Sustainable Materials & Technology at the University of Maine's School of Forest Resources. His research focuses on wood-based composites, leveraging advancements in computational modeling to enhance material performance. He holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University (1986), an M.S. and B.S. from Colorado State University (1982, 1979).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Wood Science, Pennsylvania State University, 1986
• M.S. in Wood Science, Colorado State University, 1982
• B.S. in Wood Science, Colorado State University, 1979

Research Interests: Dr. Shaler investigates engineered wood composites, including strand-based and wood-plastic composites. His work emphasizes sustainable manufacturing processes, such as steam injection pressing and dynamic visualization of composite formation. Recent projects include USDA-funded studies on composite durability and the Wood-Based Composites Center's analysis of strand dynamics in oriented strand boards.

Grants & Funding:

• USDA Wood Utilization Research: Steam Injection Pressing of Extracted Wood Strands
• FHWA: Durability of Wood Plastic Composites
• McIntire-Stennis Program: Dynamic Visualization of Strand Composite Processes

Labs & Teams: Collaborates with the Wood-Based Composites Center and interdisciplinary teams focused on sustainable materials innovation.